Syncope is a transient, self-limited loss of consciousness, usually leading to the patient falling due to global cerebral hypoperfusion. Cardiac arrhythmias associated with syncope include bradycardia, asystole, ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Epilepsy is one of several disorders that resemble syncope. While approximately half of adults may experience syncope, which is of neurocardiogenic origin, epilepsy, which is caused by a brain disorder, only occurs in about 1% of the population. Although the signs and symptoms of syncope and epileptic seizure are similar, treatment of seizures is directed to the brain, while treatment associated with syncope is directed to control of cardiac rhythm by use of medication, pacemaker, defibrillator, and/or ablation.
Epilepsy is frequently misdiagnosed. Recent estimates show that as many as 20% of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and undergoing long-term follow-up in hospital epilepsy clinics do not have epilepsy. Electrocardiogram (ECG) manifestation of epileptic seizures may not reveal an obvious diagnosis, as the spectra of responses from seizures and syncope overlap. Although an accurate patient history may help to distinguish syncope from seizures, this may require an observer to be present during an event. In addition, patients may experience amnesia following epilepsy or syncope events, further complicating gathering of an accurate history.
Providing an accurate indication to distinguish a seizure event from a syncope event will allow the physician treating the patient to direct appropriate further diagnostic work and treatment. Thus, a need exists to capture, record and distinguish syncope of cardiovascular origin from seizure of neurologic origin.